Draw draperies employ closing systems of two general types. A first type uses a continuous drawstring which passes through a hollow traverse rod to a master carrier supported by the traverse rod, to which the leading edge of the drapery is attached. By pulling on the drawstring in the proper direction, the master carrier can be made to move the edge of the drapery to an open or closed position as desired. When two drapery panels are used to span a given surface, such as a window, from opposite sides, it is conventional to provide on the inboard edge of one master carrier an extension which causes the edges of the draperies to overlap, thus eliminating any gap between the closed draperies.
The drapery-operating system described above is relatively complex in design and delicate in construction. Because of these weak points, it is conventional for draperies installed in commercial establishments, such as hotel and motel rooms, to use a second type of closing system which is simpler and more rugged than that using draw cords. In this type of system, the drapery is opened and closed using a baton attached to the upper part of the inboard edge of the drapery, by means of which the drapery is pushed or pulled into the desired position. These systems usually include an arm extending inwardly from the master carrier of one drapery in order to achieve an overlap with the opposite drapery as previously described. It is also conventional to attach the operating baton to the elongated arm supporting the leading edge of the drapery.
Although the commercial systems eliminate some operating problems caused by the string-actuated draw system, they are subject to other deficiencies. The elongated arm supporting the leading edge of the drapery, to which a baton is fixed, is itself fragile and easily deformed by excessive force. The application of such force is likely, moreover, because the point of attachment of the baton is not located near the point of support of the drapery on the master carrier, but rather forward of this position. Accordingly, unless care is taken in the operation of the draperies, it is easy to apply a torque to the master carrier, causing it to become deformed or to bind and thus to break or wear excessively.